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Five Tigers Prospects Earn Top 50 Spot in Rotoworld’s MLB Rankings

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Jackson Jobe is one of five Tigers prospects in Rotoworld's Top 50 overall in MLB.

The Detroit Tigers have officially resurged into a team that the fanbase is excited to watch take the field.

For starters, they’ve finished in second place in the American League Central twice in a row after not reaching that feat in a decade. They also earned their first playoff berth since 2014 and swept the Houston Astros out of Minute Maid Park in the Wild Card round last season.

However, their Cinderella run fell short with a five-game Division Series loss to the rival Cleveland Guardians.

Nonetheless, the Tigers’ pitching, disregarding the collapse in Game Five, was elite throughout the course of the series. They managed to shut the Guardians out twice during the series. Their offense was also potent, providing 13 runs across five games which was more than enough to compete.

Tigers fans may have a sour taste in their mouths in the wake of the 2024 season, but rest assured there is so much more to come in the future.

Beginning with Tarik Skubal , the Tigers have an established ace fresh off a Cy Young season where he also earned the American League Triple Crown.  They also made an exciting offseason improvement, adding Gleyber Torres on a one-year, very team-friendly deal .  But their main additions in 2025 will come from in-house talent.  The Tigers have arguably the most underrated farm system in the entire league, and all of their top five prospects cracked the top 50 in Rotoworld’s Top 100 list released Tuesday afternoon.

Here’s an inside look at the surplus of young superstars ranked within that list.

Top Five Tigers Prospects Crack Top 50 in MLB

6. Max Clark, OF

Team’s No. 2 Prospect | ETA: 2026

Max Clark is an athletic specimen. He was taken third overall in the 2023 MLB draft fresh out of Franklin Community High School in Franklin, Indiana.  At Franklin, Clark was a tri-sport athlete who used his muscular 6’0″ 205-pound frame to excel in baseball, basketball, and football.  Clark hit leadoff with a career batting average of .551 in three seasons  and topped out at 97 mph on the mound.

His scouting grades before the draft fly off the page . On a scale of up to 80 points, Clark received a 60 hit grade, 50 for power (an understatement), 70 for running, 65 for arm, and 60 for fielding. All of which average out to a cumulative grade of 60, which equates to “above average.” But Clark’s ceiling is far beyond that threshold.

During his brief time in the minor leagues, Clark has shown lots of promise. In 2024, he received a promotion to High-A ball where he hit .264 with an OPS of .765 and 37 hits in just 34 games. His total stats across two seasons are a .269 average with 11 home runs, 94 RBI, and 34 stolen bases.  He’s also approaching double-digits in outfield assists and outs above average.

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Clark needs to cut down on his elevated strikeout and chase rates just slightly to equal out his impressive eye at the plate. His stolen base totals also dropped marginally from 2023 to 2024, which is a tool he needs to use to his advantage.

With these changes implemented, Clark has the potential to hit in the Tigers’ leadoff spot for years to come. With one more full year in the system, and an opportunity to face higher-level pitching to polish his game, the 2026 ETA seems accurate.

10. Jackson Jobe, RHP

Tigers’ No. 1 Prospect | ETA: Made debut in 2024

The Tigers called up Jackson Jobe last season when rosters expanded right before their playoff push, where he made two relief appearances totaling four innings with two strikeouts.

Just like Clark, Jobe was also taken third overall in the 2021 MLB draft. He was taken straight out of Heritage Hall High School in Oklahoma. At Heritage, Jobe’s fastball was already sitting mid-90s, topping out at 98 mph. He was also ranked the No. 1 pitcher in the 2021 class by Perfect Game , and the No. 4 player overall.

Jobe was originally committed to Ole Miss but decided to accept a $6.9 million signing bonus to fast-track straight to Low-A.

Coming out of the draft, his fastball was graded a 65 and slider a 70. Both of these equated to “plus plus” pitches. He finished his first professional season in 2022 with a 3.84 ERA in Low-A and earned a promotion to High-A in 2023. There, he dominated and earned a promotion to Double-A where he spent most of 2024.

2024 was easily his best minor league season. In 16 starts at the Double-A level, Jobe had a 1.95 ERA with 81 strikeouts and just 38 walks. He was then promoted to Triple-A for just two starts before he received a late-season call-up to join the Tigers’ roster.

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As 2025 approaches, the Tigers’ rotation options behind Skubal are limited. They signed veteran Alex Cobb to a one-year deal to work in the middle of the rotation, but there are still gaps.

Jobe will be on the Opening Day roster, and fans can expect him to grow and develop immensely. With more experience and consistent starts, Jobe can rise to become the Tigers’ No. 2 behind Skubal as early as next season.

26. Jace Jung, 3B/2B

Tigers’ No. 5 Prospect | ETA: Made debut in 2024

Jace Jung was the Tigers’ first-round selection in 2022. He was drafted 12th overall out of Texas Tech, where he won Big 12 Conference Player of the Year in 2021.

During that season, Jung slashed .335/.481/.612 with 14 home runs and 75 hits in 61 games. His draft grades were a 50 for hitting which is “above average” and a 60 for his “plus plus” power. Jung has one of the most unorthodox batting stances, which some scouts claimed helps him get the barrel to the ball quicker.

Jung was graded a 45 for fielding but did win a Minor League Gold Glove his first season in the Tigers’ system. His quick hands and smooth fielding at second base are a large factor in his accelerated MLB promotion.

Jung reached Triple-A only a year after he was drafted, where he hit .257 with 14 home runs and a .831 OPS.  Like Jobe, Jung was called up to the big leagues late in the 2024 season. He was a serviceable platoon option for the Tigers, playing solid defense and totaling 19 hits in 34 games.

His older brother, Josh Jung , is the Texas Rangers’ starting third baseman. Jace is not at his brother’s level yet, but he has the potential to earn consistent playing time for the Tigers in 2025.

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While unlikely, the Tigers may choose to move Gleyber Torres back to his original position of shortstop. If they do, Jung can slot himself in at second base.

However, the more possible alternative is a DH-like role for Jung. His splits against right-handed pitchers are very favorable. Fans should expect scattered starts at second base against righties, with a very consistent season at the plate.

36. Kevin McGonigle, SS/2B

Tigers’ No. 3 Prospect | ETA: 2026

Kevin McGonigle was drafted 37th overall in 2023.  Like Clark and Jobe, he was another high school product, taken directly from Monsignor Bonner High School in Pennsylvania. MLB.com reported that McGonigle grew up idolizing Phillies legend Chase Utley , and crafted his game very closely to Utley’s.

He’s listed at a respectable 5’10” and 187 pounds which allows for quick movements across the infield. McGonigle was a standout player in high school, with scouts deeming him “the best pure hitter in the 2023 class.”

McGonigle was originally committed to play at Auburn but turned their offer down to sign with the Tigers.  He was ranked a 10 by Perfect Game , and the No. 7 overall player in his class.

In just one full minor league season, McGonigle has proved that the 65-grade hit tool is merely his floor. He’s already been promoted to High-A and will likely start 2025 in Double-A. In two years in the Tigers’ system, he has a .310 average with a .855 OPS and 107 hits in just 95 games.

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He features a smooth, quick lefty swing that cuts through the zone. McGonigle’s bat-to-ball skills and low strikeout rate are both key reasons for his accelerated track toward the Tigers’ active roster.

Just like Utley, McGonigle can flat-out hit.  A lost art in today’s game, he brings a high batting average and lots of walks. But McGonigle’s advanced gap-to-gap approach could also provide a surprising surge of extra-base hits.  He can slot very nicely as a two or five-hitter for many years to come.

47. Bryce Rainer, SS

Tigers’ No. 4 Prospect | ETA: 2027

Bryce Rainer hasn’t even been in the Tigers’ system for six months, and he’s already ranked as their No. 4 prospect.  He was drafted 11th overall in the 2024 Draft with a $5.8 million bonus. Following the same trend, Rainer was taken from Harvard-Westlake High School in California.

Originally, he was a two-way player in high school.  However, once Rainer dropped pitching to become a full-time shortstop, his draft stock skyrocketed. He turned lots of heads playing for Team USA in the summer of 2024, leading him to get drafted just a month later.

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Rainer is a tall, lanky shortstop at 6’3″ and 195 pounds. His power and arm were graded 60, or “above average” which are both understatements. He can zip the ball across the infield and makes incredible plays in the hole. Rainer also has a very powerful swing that closely mimics Corey Seager .

As of now, he’s been assigned to Rookie ball. But Rainer will likely fly through the levels, and potentially reach the big leagues before his ETA in 2027. With an arm that has reached the mid-90s and over 30 high school home runs, Rainer can flourish as the Tigers’ shortstop of the future.

A Look into the Tigers’ Future

The impending duo of Jobe and Skubal can foster one of the best pitching combinations in all of baseball.

Offensively, Clark, Jung, McGonigle, and Rainer are set to join Riley Greene , Spencer Torkelson , and Colt Keith . The Tigers’ core is incredibly talented, and their future is extremely bright.

They can easily emerge as a dark-horse World Series contender within the next five years.

 

Photo Credit: © Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

The post Five Tigers Prospects Earn Top 50 Spot in Rotoworld’s MLB Rankings appeared first on Last Word On Baseball .